Leveling-rod.



F W. STOTLER &l. H. STEELE.

LEVELING ROD.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 10. I915.

Patented Nov. 23, 1915.

' INVENTORS. ?W /%m MX/JM BY M I ATTORNEY WITNESSES:

coLUMBIA FLANOORAPM 60.. WASHINGTON. D. C.

FRANK w. STOTLER, or wiLKInsEu e, AND JOSEPH H. STEELE, 0E PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA.

LEVEL-ING-ROD.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 23, 1915.

Application filed March 10, 1915. Serial No. 13,350.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that we, FRANK W. S'ro'rLER and J OSEPH H. STEELE, residents, respectively, of VVilkinsburg and Pittsburgh, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Leveling-Rods, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to leveling rods for surveyors use.

The object of the invention is to provide a leveling rod capable of being used in the ordinary way of leveling rods, and having means thereon whereby the computation necessary to record the elevations at difierent points is avoided. v V

The invention comprises a levelmg rod constructed as and with the attachments, hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings Figure l is a broken perspective view of the improved leveling rod showing one face thereof; F g. 2 is a similar view showing the opposlte face thereof; Fig. 8 is a similar view illustrating the manner of folding the rod; Fig. A is a vertical section through the hinged portion of the rod; Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional view through the lower portion of the rod, showing the manner of attaching the loop for securing the rod when folded; and Fig. 6 is a detail view of the endless ta e.

lhe rod preferably is formed in two or more sections so that it can be folded or collapsed. As shown it comprises two sections A A jointed together slightly above the middle of the rod. The joint shown comprises a pair of plates C, C secured to the lower section A on the two opposite side faces thereof, and similar plates D, D secured to the upper section A and passing between the plates C, C Both pairs of plates are provided with ears which-are connected by the hinge pin H whlch extends across from side to side of the rod as shown in Fig. 1. On the opposite side of the rod the plates C, C are provided with cars located above the hinge connection H and which are connected by the cross bar J which forms a stop for the upper section on that side. To lock the two sections in extended position the plates D, D are perforated and extending through the same is a locking pin E having a milled head on one end and on its opposite end being threaded to enter a threaded orifice F in the side plate 0 of the lower member. The opposite side plate C of the lower member is provided with a slot G into which the locking bolt can pass, said slot being countersunk near its closed and to receive an enlargement on the locking bolt. Secured to the locking bolt such as bya pin or key, between the. plates D, D is a shoulder or collar P, and interposed between this and the plate D is a coiled spring 0, normally under compression, so that when the bolt E is unscrewed to be disengaged from the threaded opening F in the plate C the spring will move the bolt to such position that the threaded end thereof is entirely-within the outer face of the plate D, in order that the threads on the locking bolt will not be injured when the rod is folded up.

To hold the sections of the rod in folded position the lower section A near its lower end is providedwith an opening M in which is secured a bail K, the latter being adapted to swing over the end of the upper section when folded down and lock the same in position, as shown in Fig. 3. To preventdisengagement of the bail with the end of the upper section of the rodthe latter is provided at its end with a metal strap or housing S provided on one face with notches N which are engaged by the bail K, as shown in Fig. 3. To keep the bail K from rattling when the rod is extended the opening M in the lower section A is preferably provided with a spring bushing L which frictionally engages the member of the bail passing therethrough. This locking means is also adapted for a folding rod composed of more than two'sections.

The rod described on one face is provided with graduations numbered with increasing numbers progressively from the foot to the top, as shown in Fig. 2, these graduations and numbering being identical with leveling rods as ordinarily employed. On its opposite face the leveling rod is provided with a series of numbers or 'graduations increasing progressively from the top downwardly, as shown in Fig. 1. The graduations and numbers of bothseries, that is, on the opposite faces of the rod, contain both the units of measurement, such as feet, and also the fractional parts thereof,

such as inches. These last graduations are formed upon a movable tape or belt T which of its easy removal. one'end of the belt has secured thereto a .the datum or base. *moved' so that the unit number 8 is bisected passes over suitable guides, preferably roll ers R and It rotatably mounted in a housing B at the'foot of the lower section and.

the housing S at the top of the upper section, as shown. This tape or belt passes behind or underneath the hinge pin H, so that when the rod is folded up, as shown in Fig.

8, the tape or belt is held at its folded porv tion by this hinge pin, and prevented from becoming slack and falling out of place.

Preferably both sides of the red are grooved,

as shown in the drawings, with the fixed graduations on the one side formed in the bottom of the groove, and with the tape or belt lying in the groove on the opposite face,

so that the tape orbelt is protected to a considerable extent againstinjury.

In. order that the tape or belt may beheld taut at all times its ends are preferably joined by a suitable elastic member. If the belt or tape is ofcanvas or the like this can easily be accomplished by sewing tothe end thereof a short section of elastic webbing, 'W, as-shown in Fig. 6. If the belt or tape be of metal,-such asthin sheet steel or brass,

its ends can-be joined by means of a suitable tension spring or springs, as will be readily understood. The ends of-the belt or tape can be joined in any suitable way to permit As shown, inFig. 6

hook member U which engages a loop V secured to the other end of the belt or tape.

The rod described'is substantially a composite rod.

The 'fixed graduations on the one side run consecutively from V the foot upwardly,

therebyenabling the rod to be used in the same manner as ordinary leveling rods.

I The tape or 'belton its opposite face with thexgraduations running in the. opposite directions, viz., from the top downwardly,

.Inakes-it unnecessary to make any calculations or computations to establish the diiference' of elevation of two or more points, as is required with standard rods. This is accomplished as follows: We will say that the rod is placed at a point where theelevation' is known or assumed to be 8 units above The tape T is then by the cross-wires of the level. The rod is then carried to a new point whose elevation is to be determined, and the level .man by eis looking through the level need merely record the number which is bisected by the cross wires, as this will indicate the exact distance at that point above datum or base level without any calculation whatsoever, as will :be readily understood. This is made possible from the fact that the graduations on the. tape orbelt run consecutivelyfrom top tobottom, instead of running consecutively from bottom to top, as in ordinary leveling rodsa r I The improved rod therefore is capable of being used in the manner of ordinary level rods, and has the further capability of use just above described, enabling the elevations of different points to be recorded without computation or calculation, after the tape has once been set in the manner above described.

The rod is of very simple construction, and is very easy to use, as the only part which must be moved or adjusted is the belt 'ortape, which can be readily moved by the rodman with the rod in upright position,

so that the proper graduations can be brought into position to be bisected by the transit. Since the-graduations and numbers on the tape contain both the units and the fractional parts of the units the transit man can very easily read them and make the necessary notations. The face of the rod with the fixed graduations can be used for checking the readings made from the tape side thereof. The rod is not bulky, as

one face thereof is exactly like any ordinary .rod, while both reaches of the belt or tape are located at and bear against the opposite face of said rod.

lVhat we claim is 1. A leveling rod provided on one face with numbered graduations increasing consecutively from its foot upwardly, guides at the upper and lower ends of said rod, and

a movable tape orbelt passing over said guides and having both reaches lying on the opposite face of the rod and provided with numbered graduations increasing consecutively downwardly.

2. A leveling rod provided on one face with numbered graduations increasing consecutively from its foot upwardly, and on its opposite face being provided with a movable member having numbered graduations thereon increasing consecutively downwardly, both series of numbered graduations including both units and the fractional parts thereof.

3. A leveling rod provided on one face with numbered graduations increasing consecutively from its foot upwardly, guides at the upper and lower ends of said rod, and a movabletape or belt passing over said .guidesand lying on the opposite face of the 5. A leveling rod comprising a plurality of sections connected together by a hinge pin spaced from one face of the rod, guides at the upper and lower ends of said rod, and a graduated tape or belt held by said guides and lying between the hinge pin and the face of the rod.

6. A leveling rod composed of a plurality of sections hinged together, an endless graduated tape or belt on one face of said rod, guides at the upper and lower ends of the rod over which said tape passes, a member at the hinge joint lying outside of the tape or belt and arranged to hold the folded part of the tape or belt when the rod is folded, and a loop or bail for securing the free ends of the folded sections.

7. A leveling rod provided at its foot and top with housings, rollers journaled in said housings, and a graduated belt or tape passing over said rollers and having both reaches lying against one face of said rod.

8. A leveling rod comprising two or more sections hinged together, a locking bolt carried by one of said sections and provided with a threaded end arranged to enter a threaded hole in the opposite section, and

a spring arranged to retract said locking bolt when freed from the engaging member. 9. A leveling rod provided on one face with numbered graduations increasing consecutively from its foot upwardly, guides at the upper and lower ends of said rod, a movable tape or belt passing over said guides and exposed on the oposite face of the rod and provided with numbered graduations increasing consecutively downwardly,

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Gommissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

